Last Updated:July 26, 2025, 14:49 IST
Dar said Pakistan is ready to work and cooperate with India on all fronts—from trade to counter-terrorism—as he called for ‘meaningful negotiations’
Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar
In what can be termed as an olive branch to India, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar has reiterated Islamabad’s willingness to engage in dialogue on a range of issues—from trade and economic cooperation to counter-terrorism. However, Dar noted that the ball is now in India’s court, stating that Pakistan is still awaiting a formal response from New Delhi.
Speaking during an interaction with the Atlantic Council think tank, Dar said, “Pakistan is ready to work and cooperate with India on all fronts—from trade to counter-terrorism.” He emphasised the need for “meaningful negotiations”, calling for the resumption of composite dialogue, a framework once used by both nations to address bilateral concerns including Kashmir, security, people-to-people exchanges, and economic ties.
Dar’s overture comes close on the heels of Operation Sindoor where India pounded nine terrorist hubs in Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack in which 26 innocent tourists were mercilessly killed in Baisaran Valley.
On the issue of latest strain between India and Pakistan, Dar, who also met United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington to discuss bilateral relations, trade cooperation, regional stability, counterterrorism, and global peace initiatives, appreciated what he described as the pivotal role played by US President Donald Trump and Rubio in de-escalating tensions between the countries by facilitating a ceasefire and averting a broader conflict between the two nuclear-armed states.
The statement comes even as India has consistently maintained that the ceasefire understanding was a bilateral decision between the Indian and Pakistani military leaderships, with no third-party involvement.
On the terror front, the foreign minister also seemed to shift his stance on the decision of the United States to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
At an event in Washington, DC on Friday, Dar said Pakistan has “no issue” with the US designation. However, he reiterated that linking TRF with Lashkar-e-Taiba is “wrong”.
The Resistance Front—which India and the US maintain is an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
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Islamabad, Pakistan
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